Is recorded delivery really worth it?

frivolous_fay

I reckon the RM would save money on SD if they didn't have to fanny about getting signatures for it.

And they could save money on all those £34 compensations if they just guaranteed that Recorded would actually get there I'd happily pay more for a red sticker if I thought it meant something.

Swings and roundabouts!

'whats the cheapest courier for next day delivery? £7? and they are dwarfed in items handled by RM'

So the infastructure's in place then... and the price leap to the courier is really not all that huge.

custardy

infrastructure is one thing.processing the volume is another
then what about all the other markets
mailsort
downstream access

frivolous_fay

Ah well... just a dream.

Neither of the two services offered at present suit me, it would be nice to have one that did

I remember being horrified to find out that if I wanted something to arrive on time... the wretched thing had to be signed for. Who cares about the signature on a birthday present?

custardy

a few variations have been mooted.
problem is rm's pricing is heavily capped.
for me a non next day fully tracked SD service would suit loads of people rather than next day.
so have next day and maybe within 3 days SD offering 2 price levels and wiping out RD

scbk

kevinyork wrote: »

I
As a point of interest, if Royal Mail dont get a signature you can claim off them and they send you 6 First Class stamps. This isnt applicable to where items are lost, only delivered without a signature.

We have a recorded delivery book and a couple of months back started checking it against RMs online system to see if a signature was available. In 48% of cases it wasnt (this is out of over 1000 items sent recorded delivery nationwide). This just showns that sending something recorded isnt worth it.

We put in a claim for the RDs where there was no signature available and they sent us books of 6 stamps for each one for the first claim (one month's postings). We put in another claim for a second month where there were no signatures for loads of RDs and now the say we are only due back our original 70p for each one as we are a business customer. Only private individuals get the books of stamps apparently.

Can I ask how you claim for RD items that are showing as undelivered?

soolin

scbk wrote: »

Can I ask how you claim for RD items that are showing as undelivered?

Now you hit another snag!

If RM agree item was not delivered then the claim goes exactly the same as a 1st or 2nd class claim for loss and you can start the claim after 15 working days and get a refund, less postage costs (so you lose the extra 70p) after approx a month or so.

There is though a huge problem where RM come back and say that item was delivered but they are unable, for a variety of reasons, to update that info online. This happens more often that you think. You then have a buyer that can make a paypal chargeback but you can't make a claim for loss. There was a thread on here last year where this had happened to someone and RM were adamant item was delivered and even said they could supply written notification, but they could not update this info online..so as far as I remember the OP was still fighting to either get paypal to accept a written note from RM or to get RM to pay out for loss.

kevinyork

scbk wrote: »

Can I ask how you claim for RD items that are showing as undelivered?

We simply wrote in with a copy of our Recorded Delivery book. I presume you could just adapt the claim form RM provide.

It did take a bit of discussion at first but the bottom line is you are paying for a service of obtaining and making available a signature on delivery of the item. If they dont provide that then you are due you money back however RM prefer to offer a book of stamps to private individuals rather than go to the cost of raising a cheque for 70p.

Fourcandles_3

I have had parcels left on my doorstep which were supposed to be recorded. This included a £200 parcel of fabric for a bridesmaid order.

How it was still there I don't know, because we are right on the street, with awful neighbours on one side. I wouldn't object to them putting small parcels through the letterbox, but leaving them three foot from a main road and the footpath path?

Cute_'n'_Quirky

I have taken this issue up with our RM Area Manager on several occasions.

His attitude is that for 70p it is not sufficient money to guarantee a signature. On a normal first class letter it is triple the cost, for a start.

With a RM Area Manager having that attitude is it any wonder that the same attitude filters down to the delivery staff?

RM need to realign their thinking. If someone has paid 70p for a signature they should jolly well make sure that it is signed for. They shouldn't be pushing the item through the door either.

This issue makes me so mad


It also applies to Special Delivery too - they don't bother with the signatures for that either.

custardy

Fourcandles wrote: »

I have had parcels left on my doorstep which were supposed to be recorded. This included a £200 parcel of fabric for a bridesmaid order.

How it was still there I don't know, because we are right on the street, with awful neighbours on one side. I wouldn't object to them putting small parcels through the letterbox, but leaving them three foot from a main road and the footpath path?

FYI whoever sent £200 worth of stuff via rd is crazy